History of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Technologies are not new...

The challenges of making geothermal a mainstream technology center around education. The technology is a guaranteed energy reduction if installed correctly. The challenge lies in educating prospective clients and contractors in its use. This is one of the things that we are focusing on at Haywood Community College. We will give the public answers to the questions that they ask. We can teach probable contractors what they need to know.
Look how far we've come.

Date	Event
Pre-history	Use of caves’ geothermal energy for winter warmth and summer cooling; people gathering at hot springs to enjoy warmth from deeper geothermal resources.
Early history	The Romans used geothermally heated water in their bathhouses for centuries. The Romans also used the water to treat illnesses and heat homes. In Iceland and New Zealand, many people cooked their food using geothermal heat. Some North American native tribes also used geothermal vents for both comfort heat and cooking temperatures. Most of these early uses of the Earth's heat were through the exploitation of geothermal vents. Early peoples also utilize near-constant subsurface temperatures (geothermal energy) to keep vegetables in root cellars from freezing or spoiling.
1860s	Energy from hot springs begins to be used in the United States to heat homes and bathhouses.
1886	Hot water from the Banff, Alberta, hot springs piped to hotels and spas.
1904	Italian scientist Piero Ginori Conti invents the first geothermal electric power plant.
1946	First ground-source geothermal heat pump installed at Commonwealth Building in Portland, Oregon.
1960	Pacific Gas and Electric begins operation of first large-scale geothermal power plant at the Geysers north of San Francisco, producing 11 megawatts. Today, 69 geothermal generating facilities are in operation at 18 resource sites around the United States.
1970s	During the oil crisis of 1973, many countries begin exploring alternative sources of energy, including geothermal energy. This sparks government-sponsored renewable energy research programs in Germany, Sweden, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Geothermal heat pumps and underground thermal energy storage systems gain popularity as a means to reduce heating and cooling costs, especially in commercial and institutional buildings.
1975	Drilling begins to assess high-temperature geothermal resources for electricity generation in British Columbia.
1976-1986	Ten-year federal research program assesses geothermal energy resources, technologies and opportunities for Canada.
1990s	As public concerns about environmental issues such as air pollution and climate change grow, governments in Canada and elsewhere take a greater interest in using renewable energy as a way to decrease greenhouse gases and other emissions.
1990	Ontario Hydro funds a program to install geothermal heat pumps in 6,749 residences not served by natural gas.
2004	Western GeoPower Corp. applies for government approvals to build a $340-million, 100-megawatt geothermal power plant at Meager Creek, northwest of Whistler, B.C., which could begin producing power as early as 2007. Manitoba government announces program to provide loans of to $15,000 towards installation of geothermal heat pump systems.